Energy for people
Making it life changing
Improving incomes, health and education, empowering refugees.
Energy for the planet
Making it green and safe
From renewable sources and for clean cooking.
Energy for big change
Making access possible
Through energy policy and private sector and community collaboration.
By 2025, our work with partners will have led to two million people in ‘last mile’ communities and a further 18 million systems beneficiaries having access to affordable low-carbon energy, for household, business and community uses.
Our energy focus
We will maintain our leadership in humanitarian energy, develop our portfolio and influence in energy for agriculture and develop larger scale clean cooking programmes, linking to carbon finance.
The Global Distributors Collective (see below) will deliver widespread systems change, and we will develop a plan for its long-term future.
- Enabling people to access electricity that could improve their health, education and livelihoods
- Helping commercial providers of mini-grids, biogas and solar systems reach poor and remote communities profitably for all
- Reducing harmful smoke inhalation by using cleaner cooking stoves and fuels
What makes us different
- We understand the needs of energy-poor communities and have a track record of getting their voice centre-stage.
- We combine our expertise in renewable energy and agriculture to improve rural livelihoods and are strategic in identifying the best roles for us to play in this area.
- We are well respected on clean cooking and are using a range of approaches to increase our scale including linking to carbon finance.
- We have experience in how energy can be effectively provided in rural areas to transform schools and health centres.
Energy that transforms
Policy and influence
We are calling for an urgent scale-up of inclusive energy access, ensuring no one is left behind in 2030.
We are advocating for a large increase in public and private funding for decentralised energy solutions. Funding needs go beyond addressing energy supply to include support for developing productive uses of energy, to ensure energy access is truly transformative and reduces poverty.
Much more effort is needed to address the clean cooking challenge. Funding is needed to support a variety of technical options and programmes creating awareness and behaviour change.
Through our technical advisory work, we assist governments to create enabling policy and regulatory frameworks for off-grid energy access.
We do not accept that millions of us may not gain access to affordable electricity or clean cooking for at least another generation – if at all.

Knowledge & Expertise
Learn more from the work we do with rural communities, displaced people, energy providers and decision makers to put sustainable, clean energy solutions to work for the people who need them most. Explore a sample of our reports, policy papers, technical information and publications.
View resourcesPoor People's Energy Outlook
PPEO explores what it takes to realise the kinds of energy services that enable people living in energy poverty to thrive. Our report compiles and updates key messages and recommendations on energy access planning (PPEO 2016), financing (PPEO 2017) and delivering at scale, while also leaving no one behind (PPEO 2018).
Read the full story
Energy partnerships
Our impact is achieved through a unique network of local, national and international partners, government organisations and forward thinking, companies and funders. Our shared goals and combined expertise mean that together we can take on some of the world’s toughest challenges.